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"Adopting a pet together is a huge step in a relationship. If you&amp;#39;re considering adopting a pet with your boyfriend, make sure the two of you decide that it is something you&amp;#39;re both ready for. I asked Katie Ingram, Volunteer Coordinator at OC Animal Care (the animal shelter where we adopted our cat!), to share a few pet adoption tips for couples. I&amp;#39;m a huge advocate of helping pets from animal shelters find their forever homes. In fact, all of the adorable four-legged cuties you&amp;#39;ll see in this post were rescued from shelters; they&amp;#39;re also members of my friends&amp;#39; families.\nPinterestFacebookHere&amp;#39;s what Katie has to say about her organization:__\nOC Animal Care promotes responsible pet ownership; health and safety of people and animals and spay/neuter programs. The Animal Care Center provides temporary shelter and medical care for &amp;quot;lost&amp;quot; owned or stray animals and opportunities for adoption. OC Animal Care houses and provides medical care for impounded dogs, cats and exotic animals. In 2009, OC Animal Care reunited 3,877 pets with their owners and found forever homes for 10,255.\nPinterestFacebookAnd now for her adoption tips:\n\nDo some research. Couples should discuss what types of pets that they want before making any rush decisions. Researching online, in books and at pet retailers can provide great input on what types of dogs and cats would be the best fit. Energy level, coat length, medical issues, dietary and grooming needs should also be considered.\n\nPinterestFacebook\nDesignate responsibilities. Decide early on who is going to be responsible for training, feeding, daily care, exercising, grooming and veterinary care. Remember that a pet is a part of a family and couples should share the responsibilities. Although owning a pet is a very rewarding experience, it is also a lifetime commitment.\n\nPinterestFacebook\nCheck local shelters and animal rescue groups for the perfect match. There are hundreds of great pets available for adoption at local shelters and rescue groups. These organizations generally have a huge selection of animals of all breeds, shapes, ages and personalities. These animals deserve a second chance to find their forever families. Couples should take the time to visit organizations together to be sure they find their perfect match.\n\nPinterestFacebook\nPurchase supplies and pet-proof the home. After deciding on their new pet, couples should prepare for their arrival. Pet food, bowls, toys, a leash and collar, ID tag, and grooming supplies can be purchased from any local pet supply store. In addition, it&amp;#39;s always idea to remove hazards from the home in advance. Secure, cabinets, front or back yard, cords, personal items, antiques, shoes or anything else that you don&amp;#39;t want the pet to get in to. New pets will need some time to adjust to their new home so couples should take the time to make it as safe as possible.\n\nPinterestFacebook\nConsider the importance of veterinary care. Veterinary care can be very expensive and couples should budget accordingly. Pets should be micro-chipped, spayed/neutered, receive yearly vaccines and an annual physical. These costs can add up, but are worthwhile to ensure a pet can live a long and vibrant life. Couples should consider starting a savings fund or purchase pet insurance to prepare for unexpected medical costs.\n\nPinterestFacebookThanks Katie!\nDo you and your guy have a pet together? How do you divide up pet-care responsibilities? Does your pet have a favorite when it comes to family members? Our cat likes me best. For this month, at least. She&amp;#39;s kind of fickle. And are you more of a dog-person or a cat-person? Or a fish/lizard/snake/rabbit/bird person?\nFor more stories about pets\u2026\n\nReaders share pictures of their pets. So adorable!\n\n\nCute, cute, cute! Kellan Lutz fell in love with his pup at a shelter.\n\n\nLOL alert! Does your pet need a modesty patch?\n\nMore Ways to Get Glamour\nYou could win $50,000 just for registering or logging in to Glamour.com!\n__Sign up for Glamour.com&amp;#39;s Style Tips of the Week and Beauty Tip of the Day newsletters!\nAdd Glamour to your iGoogle homepage.\nFollow Glamour on Twitter."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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